XBOX 360 Question!
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Lets Torque

Original Poster:

10,974 posts

186 months

Wednesday 27th April 2011
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Hello fellow gamers,

Just a quick question that I will try and explain as best as I can, so bear with me...

Ok, so tonight I went to go on my XBOX as normal, got to the XBOX 360 Dashboard to play TDU2. I click where it normally comes up and it says 'Open Tray' so I open the tray and take the disk out to check for scraches/dust. There were no scratches so pop it back in and when the tray closes again it say's 'open tray' again. GRR. No matter how many times I take it out and pop it back in, it pops up with the same message.

I can still play Arcade games such as Harms Way, Sonic, Dorito's Crash Course etc etc, just not games that have disks.

I've had it since Feb 2010 so it should still be under warranty if it needs to be sent back. Is this the start of RROD, or is it something that will pass and I turn it on tommorrow and it will all be fine.

I think I may be worrying to much, but I was gonna drive round with a mate on TDU2 tonight and then get Portal 2 Tommorrow.

I doubt it makes much difference but its a XBOX 360 Arcade.

Thank's in advance!

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GenePoolReject13

1,970 posts

218 months

Wednesday 27th April 2011
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Had this problem once, switched it off and on again and it was fine. That was an original xbox 360 console that did suffer the dreaded RROD about a year later but I doubt the 2 occurances were related.

sidaorb

5,595 posts

235 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
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Happens to mine regularly, is your machine vertical or horizontal? It appears this only happens on mine when its vertical so suggest it may be a drive / reader issue. I know lots of people say try and have the machine horizontal.

Lets Torque

Original Poster:

10,974 posts

186 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
quotequote all
In the year I have had it, this is the first time its happened. The console is vertical but I might just put it horizontal from now on..

It's all working fine this morning. I guess I jumped to thinking it was a bigger problem than what it was..

Thank's for all the comments guys.

James

ETA: I can get Portal 2 now.... woohoo

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Riknos

4,701 posts

233 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
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I've repaired about 15+ Xbox 360's and this has happened a couple of times. Basically, how the drive works, there is a spindle on the inside top of the drive,, with a magnet in it. Around the laser is a rubber ring and a metal ring; the rubber is to grip the disc, the metal is for the magnet to hold onto the disc whilst it spins at silly speeds. Over time, dust can get into the machine and clog up the rubber, causing it not to grip discs, so they do not spin; ergo it can't 'read' the disc.

Always keep your console horizontal, the way a drive is designed it will always work best this way. If you have any more problems with it reading discs, you can take it apart using a Torx screwdriver and clean said rubber ring yourself, there are hundreds of guides online and the screwdrivers are about £2 on ebay.

CypherP

4,451 posts

221 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
quotequote all
Lets Torque said:
In the year I have had it, this is the first time its happened. The console is vertical but I might just put it horizontal from now on..

It's all working fine this morning. I guess I jumped to thinking it was a bigger problem than what it was..

Thank's for all the comments guys.

James

ETA: I can get Portal 2 now.... woohoo

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I'd lay the console horizontal if I were you. I don't think standing vertical does the console much good, apart from being able to breathe a little easier.

MadMullah

5,299 posts

222 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
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lay it horizontal and give it a quick hoover

Lets Torque

Original Poster:

10,974 posts

186 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
quotequote all
The only reason why I put it vertically was to save space, but I now have space to put it horizontilly, so from now on it will be horizontal.

Thanks for the info on how it work as well.

smile

CypherP

4,451 posts

221 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
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If you haven't done so already, and have the drive space, get into the habit of burning your 'most played' games to the HDD. That way, if the disc gets a little scratched, or is problematic, it will only need to register the correct game in the CD drive and read the vast majority from the HDD instead.

If you already do so, ignore me. smile

RobFerrari

793 posts

233 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
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CypherP said:
I'd lay the console horizontal if I were you. I don't think standing vertical does the console much good, apart from being able to breathe a little easier.
Is there actually a big difference between it being horizontal or vertical? AI have had it both vertically and horizontally and have never noticed any particular difference in it, apart from more vibration from the unit when standing (could be a one off). Either way you have it appears to block some vents off!


CypherP

4,451 posts

221 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
quotequote all
RobFerrari said:
CypherP said:
I'd lay the console horizontal if I were you. I don't think standing vertical does the console much good, apart from being able to breathe a little easier.
Is there actually a big difference between it being horizontal or vertical? AI have had it both vertically and horizontally and have never noticed any particular difference in it, apart from more vibration from the unit when standing (could be a one off). Either way you have it appears to block some vents off!
The reason I said it is from previous experience. If the console moves minimally whilst standing vertical, it is possible that the disc may become damaged whilst spinning. I've also had disc read errors a few years ago whilst it has been standing, rather than laying horizontal.

I'm sure it all comes down to personal experience and preference, and also space as the OP mentioned, but to save getting some adverse scratches on the discs or someone knocking the console and falling over, I prefer to have mine laying flat.

Lets Torque

Original Poster:

10,974 posts

186 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
quotequote all
I never had any bad experiences with having it vertically either until now. Thanks on the HDD idea, I have heard about it but never got round to doing it.

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G0ldfysh

3,318 posts

286 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
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I understood that horizontal was better for cooling and stopped risk of the disks getting scratched. Not sure if internet blarney but given the hours I was using it at one point I allowed myself to be swayed by hysteria.

RobFerrari

793 posts

233 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
quotequote all
CypherP said:
The reason I said it is from previous experience. If the console moves minimally whilst standing vertical, it is possible that the disc may become damaged whilst spinning. I've also had disc read errors a few years ago whilst it has been standing, rather than laying horizontal.

I'm sure it all comes down to personal experience and preference, and also space as the OP mentioned, but to save getting some adverse scratches on the discs or someone knocking the console and falling over, I prefer to have mine laying flat.
I guess it is all down to personal preference! Well in my case, space at the moment! I didn't really know about discs getting scratched, I was a bit late onto the Xbox bandwagon really (3 years or so now). Thanks anyway smile

CypherP

4,451 posts

221 months

Thursday 28th April 2011
quotequote all
No probs. The issue was that the disc would get picked up and spun, but if the console moved at all while this was in effect, it could move causing the disc to skim or catch on an internal part. I had this issue a couple of times, leaving long marks on the discs and decided to lay it horizontally instead to combat the problem.

I've never had a console overheat on me either, so it must be ok in the position its in, but space is obviously a key factor dependant on your set up!